Paul Henman formula1 Austrian Grand Prix – Race

Austrian Grand Prix – Race

Yesterday’s Sprint (don’t call it a race) set the grid for today, which started without ALO (DNS due to electronic issue) and with ZHO in the pit lane (engine cut out on the formation lap), but ended with PER moving up from P15 to P5 and VET retiring the Aston Martin.
Grid: VER, LEC, SAI, RUS, PER, OCO, MAG, HAM, SCH, BOT, NOR, RIC, STR, ZHO, GAS, ALB, TSU, LAT, VET, ALO

Since then, VET was “handed suspended €25,000 fine for walking out of drivers’ briefing” [F1]; BOT was going to start from P20 after power unit upgrades [F1] so Alfa Romeo also changed his rear wing specification and his rear suspension and now he will start from the pit lane.

Revised grid: VER, LEC, SAI, RUS, PER, OCO, MAG, HAM, SCH, NOR, RIC, STR, ZHO, GAS, ALB, TSU, LAT, VET, ALO; BOT in the pit lane

Mercedes mechanics are working on HAM’s brakes on the grid… and somehow they’ve completed reassembling them in time
Everyone clears the grid
Looks like everyone’s starting on medium compound tyres except ZHO, TUS, VET and ALO
VER leads everyone (except BOT) around on the formation lap
Lots of orange smoke in the grandstands – that’s got to be annoying for anyone trying to see (or shoot) the race!
ALO has a problem in the final

01/71: SAI runs wide in Turn 1
PER and RUS tap wheels… and a second time; PER spins

02: VER, LEC, SAI, RUS, OCO, MAG, HAM, SCH, RIC, NOR
Incident involving TSU and ALB noted for pit-to-car comms on the formation lap
PER pits; damage to a sidepod; hard tyres go on

03: DRS enabled

04: LEC fastest lap 1:09.928
Replay of the start; PER was slightly ahead on the outside of RUS but PER squeezed RUS before there was contact

05/71: VER, LEC, SAI, RUS, OCO, MAG, HAM, SCH, NOR, RIC
HAM struggles out of Turn 1; SCH steals P7

07: BOT pits

08: LEC has DRS behind VER
VER laps teammate PER

10/71: VER, LEC, SAI, RUS, OCO, MAG, SCH, HAM, NOR, RIC
LEC takes a look but VER closes the door
5sec penalty for RUS for causing the collision with PER

12: RUS pits from P4; serves his 5sec penalty; new front wing; hard tyres go on; rejoins P19
LEC dives inside VER and takes P1

13: VER pits from P2; hards go on; rejoins P8

15/71: HAM takes P5 from SCH
NOR pits from P8; hards; rejoins P13 just ahead of teammate RIC
HAM passes the other Haas (MAG) for P4

17: OCO and SCH pit

18: VER closing on HAM
Black and white flag for PER for exceeding track limits
VER takes a look but HAM defends P3
VER has DRS so steams past the Mercedes to take P3

19: ALO catches up to the TSU/ZHO battle over P6

20/71: LEC, SAI, VER, HAM, STR, TSU, ZHO, ALO, OCO, VET, MAG, NOR, SCH, RIC, ALB, GAS, RUS, BOT, LAT, PER
VER f/lap 1:09.895

21: Radio for SAI, “Plan E for Echo”

23: VER f/lap 1:09.846
OCO inside ZHO for P7
OCO now dives past TSU for P6

24: ALO now lining up to pass ZHO… but while they fight, MAG passes ALO for P8

25/71: LEC, SAI, VER, HAM, STR, OCO, TSU
The battle behind TSU is wheel to wheel, sometimes 3-abreast

26: PER pits again; retires

27: LEC pits from P1; hards go on; rejoins P3

28: SAI pits from P1; hards; rejoins P4, behind HAM who has yet to pit
SCH passes NOR for P8 but NOR feels SCH moved under braking

29: LEC f/ap 1:08.984
HAM pits from P3; bit slow on the front right; rejoins P6 just inches behind OCO

30/71: VER, LEC, SAI, STR, OCO, HAM, MAG, SCH, NOR, RUS
STR pits from P4
HAM inside OCO into Turn 3; takes P4

32: LEC closing the gap to VER – just about a second
LEC now has DRS

33: GAS given 5sec penalty for exceeding track limits
LEC easily takes P1 from VER
Black and white flag for NOR for exceeding track limits
SCH takes P6 from teammate MAG

35/71: LEC, VER, SAI, HAM, OCO, SCH, MAG, NOR, RUS, RIC, ALB, GAS, BOT, VET, STR, ALO, TSU, ZHO, LAT; out: PER
NOR given 5sec penalty for exceeding track limits
SAI starting to reel in VER

Half distance

36: SAI takes P2 from VER

37: VER pits from P3; more hard tyres go on; rejoins still P3

38: RUS closing on NOR

39: ZHO’s turn to get a 5sec penalty for exceeding track limits

40/71: LEC, SAI, VER, HAM, OCO, SCH, MAG, NOR, RUS, RIC
VET off into the gravel at Turn 4 but digs himself out; rejoins P17
Replay shows VET was going around the outside of GAS

41: RUS pits from P9; hards; rejoins PP14
NOR inside MAG to take P7

42: 5sec penalty for GAS for causing the collision with VET
MAG pits; rejoins P13

43: Black and white flag for HAM for exceeding track limits
GAS pits; serves his penalty

44: SCH and NOR pit

45/71: LEC, SAI, VER, HAM, OCO, RIC, ALO, STR, SCH, RUS
RUS takes P9 from SCH… and then inside STR but he defends P8… but RUS attacks again and takes the place
OCO and RIC pit

46: SCH passes STR but the Canadian reclaims P8

47: NOR takes P12 from TSU
TSU pits, as does ZHO

48: MAG blasts past STR for P9

49: OCO on new tyres unlaps himself

50/71: LEC pits from P1; hard tyres; rejoins P3
Radio from LAT reporting he can’t turn in Turn 9

51: SAI pits from P1; hards; rejoins P3
So now VER is P1 again but both Ferraris have passed him today
LAT pits; retires

52: HAM pits from P4; medium tyres go on; rejoins P4
Race control report GAS has failed to serve his penalty
LEC has DRS behind VER

53: VER defends but LEC takes P1
Radio from VER whining about a lack of traction

54: SAI now closing on VER

55/71: LEC, VER, SAI, HAM, OCO, RUS, ALO, SCH, MAG, NOR, RIC, ALB, BOT, GAS, STR, TSU, ZHO, VET; out: LAT, PER

56: SAI f/lap 1:08.649

57: SAI has DRS behind VER
Smoke from SAI’s engine!
SAI coasts to the side, pulls off the track
The Ferrari is on fire and rolling backwards down the hill; just one marshal with an extinguisher but he can’t decide whether to try to stop the car rolling or put the fire out

58: VSC deployed
LEC and VER pit

59[VSC]: VSC ending

60/71: LEC, VER, HAM, OCO, RUS, SCH, MAG, NOR, RIC, ALB, BOT, GAS, STR, ALO, ZHO, TSU, VET; out: SAI, LAT, PER

61: RUS right on OCO’s rear wing
Radio from LEC reports his throttle pedal “feels a bit strange”

62: VER f/lap 1:07.804
RUS takes P4 from OCO

63: VER f/lap 1:07.275
NOR around MAG to take P7

64: BOT closing on ALB

65/71: LEC, VER, HAM, RUS, OCO, SCH, NOR, MAG, RIC, ALB

66: Ferrari confirm to LEC that his throttle pedal isn’t lifting up properly

67: LEC laps NOR in P7
VER pushing hard but the gap is 2.9sec

68: ALO takes P11 from ALB
ALO under investigation for a potential release in unsafe condition

69: LEC reports “the downshifts are refused”, presumably because there’s too many revs

70/71: LEC, VER, HAM, RUS, OCO, SCH, NOR, MAG, RIC, BOT, ALO, ALB, STR, ZHO, GAS, VET, TSU; out: SAI, LAT, PER

71: VER just over 2sec behind LEC
ALO takes P10 from BOT

LEC takes the chequered flag

Provisional result: LEC, VER*, HAM, RUS, OCO, SCH, NOR, MAG, RIC, ALO; BOT, ALB, STR, ZHO, GAS, TSU, VET
DNF: SAI, LAT, PER
*Fastest lap: VER 1:07.275

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[2022 calendar and line-up]

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